Breech-loading firearm



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. D. COON. BREBCH LOADING FIREARM.

PatentedApr. 26 1,898. f

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(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Patented Apr. 26 1898. y

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J. D. COON. BREBGH LOADING FIREARM.

No. 603,218. Patented Apr. 26, 1898.

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JOHN D. COON, OF NATHROP, COLORADO.

BREECH-LOADING FIREARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 603,218, dated April 26, 1898.

Application led May 22, 1897. Serial No. 637,801. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN D. OOON, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Nathrop, in the county of Chaffee and State of Colorado, have invented a new and useful Brooch-Loading Double-Barreled Gun, of which the followingis a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide improved means for transforming a gun from a rille to a shotgun and from a shotgun to a rifle without alteration of the firing mechanism or the ejecting mechanism in any manner whatsoever.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved firing mechanism whereby the same may be rendered inoperative and incapable of discharging cartridges carried in the gun throughout any desired period of time and instantaneously almost be brought into an operative condition and positioned for firing the cartridges at the will of the operator.

A further object of this invention is to be found in the provision of an improved shellejector, employed in conjunction with a yoke, whereby two shells or cartridges are held in close relation to each other in the proper positions to be discharged through the barrels of the gun and to receive the impact of the discharging mechanism.

A further object of this invention is to be found in the provision of improved means for connecting and properly positioning in the gun a pair of cartridges.

A further object of this invention is to be found in the provision of mechanism entirely under the control of one hand in firing position whereby the firing mechanism may be operated to the discharge of the cartridges.

Further objects of this invention will appear and be brought out in the more detailed description of the construction and operation of the device and its several elements.

My invention consists in and I carry out the objects thereof by the construction, arrangement,and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of the gun. Fig. 2 is a side elevation taken on the opposite side of the gun from that shown I in Fig. 1. section of the gun, the parts being in the position shown in Fig. v1. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section of the gun in a direction opposite to the view taken in Fig. 3, the parts being in the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Fig. 5 is a perspective of the ring mechanism, guard, and breech-block detached from the front extension of the frame, stock,` and barrels of the gun. Fig. 6 is a perspective illustrating the ejecting mechanism, a portion of the front extension of the frame being broken away, and this figure also shows a pair of cartridges yoked together and appearing to have been ejected. Fig. 7 is a detail elevation of a portion of the front extension, showing the formation of the cavity shaped and arranged therein to contain the triggers and firing-pins.

barrels and front extension. Figs. 9 and 10 are cross-sections on the indicated lines 9 9 and 10 10 of Fig. 3. Figs. 11 and 12 are like views to Figs. 9 and 10 with the exception that they refer to the barrels of the gun employed to discharge, guide, and direct riflecartridges. Fig. 13 is a perspective of a pair of ride-cartridges yoked together. Fig. 14 is a perspective of a pair of shot cartridges yoked together. Fig. 15 is a horizontal section on the indicated line 15 15 of Fig. 1. Fig. 16 is a perspective of one of the safety locking-pins.

In the construction of the gun, as shown, the numeral 10 designates the stock, 11 the frame, and 12 the front extension of the frame. The front extension is provided with a bore extending rearwardly a short distance from its forward end and then subdivided to form two bores circular in cross-section, the one above the other. Into the bores of the front extension are inserted by longitudinal movement a pair of barrels 13, reduced-frustum shaped at their rear ends and connected with each other one above the other, which barrels are of such diameters and so shaped as to t snugly within the front extension at their rear ends, shoulders 14 15 on the bar- Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical' 7o Fig. 8 is a detail elevation Y showing the means employed to connect the rels abutting against shoulders on the end faces of the front extension and limiting the inward movement of the barrels relative thereto.

In order to carry out the interchangeable idea of my gun, I provide several different sizes of barrels 13, one of which is illustrated in Fig. 3 as mounted in the front extension 12, and another is illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12 and also mounted in the front extension and provided with such bores as may be desired. The portion between the rear ends of the front extension is cut away, as shown at 16 in Figs. 3 and 4, and a pair of cartridges 17 18 may be mounted one above the other in the rear ends of the bores of the barrels 13. The cartridges 17 18 are connected by a yoke 18, which yoke comprises a plate with rounded ends and having its edges slightly concaved at their centers, the plate being apertured in its end portions sufficiently to admit a pair of `cartridges side by side, as shown in Figs. 6, 13, and 14E, the ends of the plate being split to provide elasticity of the metal surroundin g, embracing, and holding the cartridges. It is believed that were the ends of the yoke not split the expansion of the rear end of the cartridge, resulting from the explosion and discharge of the charge therefrom, would break the yoke-arms; but in the pro- Vision of the kerfs the yoke may yield under the expansion and resiliently rembrace the cartridges. The space 16 between the bores of the front extension and between the rear ends of the barrels also contains an extractor 19, pivoted on a pin 20. The pin 2O traverses ears 21 22, formed on the side of the front extension, and ears 23 24, formed on the end of a breech-block 25, which breech-block fits Within a cavity formed in the front extension immediately in the rear of the bores thereof. The breech-block is locked within the cavity within the front extension 12 by means of a latch 26, pivoted therein and provided with a boss 27, engaging in a recess formed in the front extension at the rear of said cavity, which latch is yieldingly held by a leaf-spring 28, fixed to the left face of the breech-block and provided'with a hook engaging a shoulder on said latch. A tongue is formed on the outer end of the latch 26 and is so shaped and arranged as to be engaged by the thumb of the operator to swing the latch on its pivot, the boss 27 releasing from the cavity or recess in order that the breech-block may be swung Open. The extractor 19 is provided with'a shoulder extended outside or to the right of the front extension 12 between the ears of thel breech-block, and an ejector 29, formed of a leaf-spring, is fixed at one end in this shoulder of the extractor, and between theface of the shoulder and the pivotal pin of the extractor is curved partially around saidupiilvotal pin and extended 'inwardly in frontl of the breech-block into'frail temporary engagement at its left or inner end with the front end of a leaf-spring 30, which leafspring is located and countersunk in a recess 31 in the front extension opening to the rear wall of the cavity within which the breechblock operates.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings and reading them in the light of Fig. 15, it will be seen that the inner portion of the ejector 29, as well as the extractor 19, lies at the front of the central portion of the yoke 18"L and is held against rearward movement by abutments of the rear ends of the cartridges with the forward end of the breechblock and also temporarily and frailly retained by the engagement of the inner end of said ejector 29 with the front end of the spring 30. A pair of leaf-springs 32 33 is xed in the left-hand Wall of the front extension at the rear of the cavity in which the breech-block operates and is compressed by said block when the same is closed, as shown in Fig. 15; but upon the opening of the block, as shown in Fig. 6, the springs 32 33 stand out at angles to the wall of the cavityin which they are located, and upon the expulsion of the yoke and cartridges, also as shown in Fig. 6, said springs 32 33 guide and direct the cartridges and yoke outwardly and to the right through the opening previously occupied by the breech-block. Upon opening the breech-block by the application of manual force to the latch 26 the forward outer corner of said block engages the shoulder before mentioned upon the extractor 19 and moves said extractor rotatably, thus applying tension upon the inner portion of the ejector 29, causing said ejector to shorten, as it were, and withdraw longitudinally from engagement with the spring 30. The same movement of the extractor 19 establishes a lateral resilience in the ejector 29, whereby the breech-block being open when the ejector releases from the spring 30, it forcibly and with considerable impact engages the yoke 18 and ejects the cartridges, con juuctively with the yoke, into contact with the springs 32 33, the impulse given the cartridges and the yoke being sufficient to carry the same outside the cavity in the front extension. I have named the member 19 the extractor for the reason that it backs up and operates the ejector 29, and in the event that the resilience of said ejector is not sufficient to effect the ejection of the cartridges a further and sudden movement of the breech-block will throw the member 19 rearwardly sufficiently far to dislodge the cartridges and enable the resilient force of the ejector to throw out the same in the manner described.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, il? will be observed that the breech-block is provided with a pair of pins, one above the other, which for convenience I designate as impact-pins 34 35. It will be observed that the im pact-pins 34: 35 are limited as to longitudinal movement, rst, by screws 36 37, engaging at their IOO IOS

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inner ends in grooves in the periphery of said pins, and, second, by springs 39 40, impinging at their forward ends against shoulders of the bores of the breech-block and engaging at their rear ends against shoulders on the impact-pins, and, third, by the reduction of the forward ends of the impact-pins and the bores therefor to such an extent as that the forward movement of said pins is limited and stopped thereby.

Immediately at the rear of the cavity containing the breech-block and separated therefrom by a transverse partition or wall is located another cavity containing the liring mechanism that I am about to describe. A lock-plate 4l is positioned vertically at the rear of the cavity containing the firing mechanism and fixed to the frame ll, and a pair of firing-pins 42 43 are located one above the other, with their rear ends made angular in cross-section and traversing angular apertures in the lock-plate and the forward ends made circular in cross section traversing bores 44 45 in the wall or partition, which bores are respectively in alinement with the axes of the bores carrying the impact-pins and also in alinement with the axes of the bores of the barrels when my gun is made to employ cartridges of the center-firing type. Each of the firing-pins 42 43 is provided with a coil-spring 46, fixed at its forward end upon a pin or similar device traversing the firingpin transversely and engaging at its rear end with the front face of the lock-plate 4l, which springs are of the expansive type and tend to impel the firing-pins forwardly. Members, which for want of a better term I will call ratchet-arms, 47 48 are mounted on the firing-pins 42 43, extend laterally therefrom downwardly a short distance, then bend into a plane parallel with the longitudinal axes of the firing-pins, and extend rearwardly, with their rear ends made angular, through the lock-plate 4l. The ratchet-arm 47 is provided with a ratchet-notch 49 near its central portion, which notch is arranged to be engaged by a sear 50, located immediately below the same to hold the firing-pin against its firing function and in its rea-rmost or cocked position. The scar 50 is provided with an arm,5l, extending to the right thereof into a plane to be engaged by the upper arm 52 of the trigger 53, which trigger is pivoted in the cavity containing the firing mechanism and extends downwardly therefrom in a common manner into the guard 54. The sear 50 is engaged or impinged upon by a leaf-spring 55 and is tripped by a pull on the trigger to release the firing-pin, which is impelled after its release into contact with the impact-pin 34, and then impelled by the recoil of the spring 46 the firing-pin 42 repositions, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and the impact-pin 34 repositions, as shown, through the influence of the coiled spring 39. The recoil of the spring 46 is caused by the reaction following an excessive expansion thereof due to its momentum and by the resistance of the impactpin to the impact of the ringpin. The ratchet-arm 48 on the firing-pin 43 is provided with a ratchet-notch 56 near its forward end, which notch is so shaped and arranged as to be engaged by a scar-nose 57 on the rear trigger 58, which trigger is pivoted in the cavity containing the firing mechanism and extends downwardly therefrom in a common manner into the guard 54. The trigger 58 is engaged by a leaf-spring 59, tending to hold said trigger upwardly and its scar-nose in engagement with the ratchet-arm 48, and is tripped by a pull on the trigger to release the firing-pin 43, which is impelled after its release into contact with the impact-pin 35, and then the rebound of the impact-pin and firing-pin occurs immediately and results in the positioning of said pins, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings.

I have come now to the mechanism for storing such power in the springs 46 as may be necessary to give them suliicient impulse to act through theimpact-pins 34 35 and explode the caps of the cartridges, which mechanism I am about to describe. The rearwardly-projecting end portion of the lring-pin 43 is provided with a laterally-extending pin 60, and

the rearwardly extending portion of the ratchet-arm 47 is provided with a laterallyextending pin 61. A vertically-sliding block 62 is mounted at the rear of the lock-plate 41, which block is bifurcated in :its upper and central portions and recessed at the rear of its arms. 62 enables the arms of said block to travel vertically on opposite sides of the rearwardlyextending portions of the firing-pins and ratchet-arms, and a pivoted cam 63 on said block engages beneath or in front of the pin 6l, while a pivoted cam 64, below and to one side of the pivoted cam 63, engages beneath or in front -of the pin 60 and in the vertical movement of the block 62 draws the pins 60 6l and their supports rearwardly until the ratchet-notches in the ratchet-arms engage the scar 50 and Sear-nose 57. At this time and in the further upward movement of the` sliding block 62 the pins 60 6l pass beyond the lower ends of the pivoted cams 63 64 and` are permitted, so far as the cams are concerned, to move forwardly again when the triggers release the sear 50 and Sear-nose 57 from the ratchet-arms of the firing-pins. A pair of leaf-springs 65 66 are interposed between the upper ends of the cams 63 64 and the rear face of the sliding block62, and said springs are of such shape as that when the sliding block is depressed or moved downwardly, as shown in Figs. l, 2, 3, and 4, they will engage the pins 60 6l and move the iiring-pins rearwardly a short distance. The sliding block 62 is pivotally connected by a link 67 to a handle 68, contained within the rear portion of the guard 54 and pivoted by IOO The slot or bifurcation of the block y IOS IIO

a link 69 at its rear end to the stock 10 of the gun. The forward end of the handle 68 is limited as to its lateral movement by a guiding-pin 70, running in a slot 7l in the guard 54.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the cavity containing the firing mechanism is closed by a gate 7 2 and that said gate carries a pair of slides 73 74, to which slides are fixed headed pins 75 76, Fig. 16,the heads ofthe pins being on the interior of the cavity and grooved horizontally to embrace the hooked rods 77 78 on the firing-pins. It will be observed that there are slots in the cap 72, through which the headed pins 75 76 extend, and raised guides 79 8O surround said slots, and that upon the outer ends of said pins are swiveled winged nuts 8l 82. The winged nuts are of less width than length, and the width thereof is the width of the narrowest space Within the raised guides 79 80. When it is desired to prevent a prematureidischarge of the gun, the Winged nuts carrying the pins 75 76 are moved rearwardly into the annular portion of the raised guides and into the position in which the nut 82 is shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The members being in the position just described, if the triggers release the sear and scar-nose from the ratchet-arms the firing-pins are prevented from moving forward sufficiently to engage the impact-pins by reason of the engagement of the grooved heads onthe pins 75 76 With the hooked arms 77 78. Immediately opposite the hooks 77 78 on the firing-pins are guide-rods 83 84, running in grooves 85 S6, formed in the projections 85 and 86' in the side wall of the cavity containing the firing mechanism, and thereby guiding and limiting the oscillation of the ringpins.

The barrels are connected to the front extension of the frame by means of a groove 87, formed in the barrels and mating a groove (shown by dotted lines in Fig. 8) and in alinement with apertures 88 89 in the front extension, into which groove and apertures a locking-pin 90 is inserted by longitudinal movement. The locking-pin 90 is provided with a crank-arm 91 on one end, resting in a seat or groove in the front extension and held therein by the friction of the parts thereof, and also by its own gravity tending to keep it seated.

.I claim as my inventionl. The combination of a frame having a front extension and stock, which front extension is bored to receive a pair of barrels and is provided with a cavity opening to one side thereof and shaped and arranged to receive a breech-block, a breech-block pivoted on the front extension and arranged to swing in and out relative to the cavity aforesaid and abut the rear ends of the barrels, an extractor pivotally connected with the breech-block and arranged to be engaged thereby at the limit of outward movement of the block, an ejector fixed to the extractor, a spring fixed to the front extension and arranged for temporary engagement with the ejector, and guidesprings xed to the front extension and within the cavity therein and arranged to receive cartridges from the ejector and guide the same out of the cavity.

2. The combination of a frame having a front extension bored to receive barrels and formed with a cavity at the rear of the barrels, a breech-block hinged to the front extension and arranged to enter the cavity therein, impact-pins mounted for reciprocation in said breech-block in alinement with the barrels and spring-pressed in one direction, extractor and ejector mechanism fixed to the breech-block and firing mechanism located in the frame at the rear of the breech-block and arranged for contact with the impact-pins, together with leaf-springs 32, 33 located in the cavity at the rear of the breech-block and so shaped and arranged as to direct the cartridges from said cavity.

3. The combination of a frame having a front extension with a laterally-opening cavity, a breech-block shaped for insertion in said cavity and hinged to the front extension, impact-pins mounted for reciprocation in said breech-block, an extractor 19 located in front of the breech-block and pivoted conjunctively therewith which extractor is actuated by contact with the breech-block upon opening the same, an ejector mounted on the extractor, a spring 30 seated in the left-hand Wall of the extension and frailly restraining the ejector pending the operation thereof, and leaf-springs mounted in the cavity of the extension and shaped and arranged to guide and direct cartridges from said cavity subsequent to the operation of the extractor and ejector.

4. In a gun a pair of firing-pins one above the other, springsfor establishing the firing function of said pins, ratchet-arms on said firing-pins, a sear engaging one of said ratchetarms, a trigger forl tripping said sear, a searnose engaging the other of said ratchet-arms and integral with a trigger for tripping the same, pins traversing the rear ends of the iiring-pins and ratchet-arms, a vertically-sliding block in the frame, pivoted cams on said block arranged for engagement with the traversing pins in the upward movement of the block to move the firing-pins rearwardly and permit the engagement of the sear and scar-nose with the ratchet-arms, a handle pivoted to the stock and pivotal connections between the handle and the vertically-sliding block.

5. In a gun a iring-pin, a sear arranged for connection with said firing-pin at times, a trigger for tripping said sear, a guide-rod on said firing-pin, a safety locking-rod on said tiring-pin and a safety locking-pin arranged for manual operation to engage the lockingrod and restrain the firing function of the firing-pin.

6. In a gun a yoke apertured in its end portions and split from said apertures to the ends IOO IIO

thereof, wherebya pair of cartridges may be a nut swiveled on said pin whereby said pin connected and conjunctively inserted and may be locked in a given position to engage 1o ejected relative to a pair of gun-barrels. the grooved head with said hook and restrain 7. In a gun a safety locking-pin mounted the firing-pin against premature operation. for travel in a slotted seat, a grooved head JOHN D. COON. on said pin, a locking-rod arranged for recip- Witnesses: rocation in said grooved head, a hook on said PHILIP GROVES, rod, a firing-pin connected With said rod, and J. J. SIMMONS. 

